1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to controls of the lens apparatus of a camera and particularly to the coordination of lens operation with a remote-controlled automatic tracking system that includes distance-measuring capability.
2. Prior Art
Apparatus for automatic tracking of subjects is well known in the prior art and includes the systems described in the above-referenced applications. Distance-measuring devices are also known to the art and usually employ triangulation or ultrasonic ranging both of which are complex and expensive and in the case of ultrasound, subject to wide variations in accuracy. Lens control systems are of course well known to the art.
While the tracking systems, distance-measuring apparatus, and lens control systems known to the prior art may be satisfactory in their own applications the prior art is deficient in any system that combines all of the capabilities of these three fields of camera technology into an integrated whole. The present invention provides such capability and provides completely automatic control.